Having gathered most of the world's mana, Lemiel turned it into a streak of lightning and hurled it.
Not only was it extremely fast, making it difficult for Yu IlHan to dodge, even if he did, but it would also devastate his companions in the Flying Fortress as well. This was an attack that forced Yu IlHan to decide, and the judgement was lightning-quick. He made Yumir rise upwards to just dodge it!
[Foolish, with this your companions are...what!?]
Immediately after that, a protective barrier appeared atop the Flying fortress to block the lightning. The defensive power of the barrier, covered by Kelatuke's metallic armour, was not so weak as to be broken by an ordinary attack from the 7th class. In fact, it even absorbed the mana inside it, restoring its durability.
[Just what is....]
Seeing a human-made barrier blocking his lightning, Lemiel was dumbfounded for a moment. It didn't take him long to realize that Yu IlHan and Yumir's presence had disappeared.
[What...?]
He lost track of a lower existence right in front of his eyes! It wasn't that they were in concealment from the beginning; rather, he had just lost the presence of an enemy that he was so enraged at?
Lemiel couldn't accept this situation, but he wasn't a 7th-class Archangel for nothing, and the moment he realized he might be attacked by his enemies, he imbued his wings with lightning to completely protect his body. His movements were rapid, just as expected of a 7th-class Archangel.
Immediately after that, Yu IlHan's attack assaulted him.
[Critical Hit!]
An attack of overwhelming mana struck his wings. However, as if waiting for that moment, Lemiel shot out lightning to wrap it around while unfolding his three pairs of wings.
[This is the punishment for your arrogance!]
The physical force and mana in the trajectory, as well as the sharpness, were returned in their entirety. Actually, it even contained high-density lightning from Lemiel.
Receiving the enemy's attacks perfectly and returning them with one's own power on top of them. This was none other than the highest-tier battle skill that only the extreme minority with meticulous technique could use, Counter!
[Die, mortal! Fall! Fall while filled with your swollen desire!]
If Yu IlHan were hit by that, even he could not evade a fatal strike, no matter how high his defence was. The strike containing lightning had that much power.
However, the perfectly timed counter did not bring about any response. Did he die with just a single strike? Lemiel raised his head in confusion, and
[Critical Hit!]
[Critical Hit!]
[Critical....]
At that moment, greyish white blood scattered as his left arm and wings were chopped off. The next moment, the cut-off body disappeared into thin air, and prevented Lemiel from attaching it back.
[Wha- this…..!?]
Rather than the pain of losing 30% of his body, he was more panicked that the Counter skill had failed, even though it had never failed before. He hurriedly emitted mana to balance his body and looked for Yu IlHan's figure.
"Hi."
[You!?]
He was right in front of Lemiel.
[The skill Spear of Untraceable Trajectory has reached level 99.]
[You have fulfilled one additional criterion in the acquisition conditions for the active skill, Counter. The skill Counter can be acquired after you fulfill one more condition.]
The text that appeared on Yu IlHan's retina implied two things. That there wasn't long left before he mastered an advanced skill, and that it wouldn't be long before he acquired the horrifyingly strong skill, Counter, that the Archangel used just now.
Honestly, Yu IlHan thought he had become as strong as he could be up to that point, but it seemed he still had his work cut out. He reflected back on his arrogance.
"So that's counter? Thanks for showing me. I won't be able to show it to you right away, but I'll try my best to learn it in the future!"
[You...!?]
As he replied with a smile, Yu IlHan's hands gripped a flaming spear that roared with its mouth open. Since the attack was so sudden and he had no opportunity to activate Counter, Lemiel was struck in the neck by the spear.
[Critical Hit!]
[The skill Great Cosmos-severing Spear has reached level 89.]
[Kuhaak!]
Greyish white blood scattered in the air once again. Yu IlHan's two eyes glistened, and Lemiel held onto his head as he unfolded the remaining half of his wings to cover his front. The lightning, flashing blue, looked threatening but was much less intimidating than before.
[How did you do that! Were you a magic warrior!?]
"Is there a need to classify fields? It's because your thought process is from the 90s that you are whining like a puny villain from the 90s!"
"IlHan made Lemiel the villain!"
"But since he said it, he actually looks like he's whining!"
[You girlllllls!]
Yu IlHan's first attack naturally was from the Spear of Untraceable Trajectory. The shocking aspect of this spear technique was that he could produce a trajectory that was logically and physically impossible from where he stood.
However, that skill had taken a shocking turn as he had experienced magic that continuously distorted space and time, and had gotten used to such a flow and pattern.
The specialty of this technique was that he could strike out simultaneously in several directions. This time, he had realized the strike he had shot from a different direction first, and only after Lemiel's Counter skill activated did he realize and redirect the ten other strikes to deal critical hits.
This was a technique he could use only when he read the enemy's movements, but it was also a skill that transcended the boundaries of space and time. It was no wonder his enemy considered this magic. It contained the principles of magic after all!
[You, don't tell me you have the power to manipulate time!]
"Fufu, I wonder about that."
Of course, he was just barely able to mix the slight enlightenment he got from experiencing the time-deceleration magic on Earth with his spear, but nothing bad would come of his enemy shrinking back in fear of that, so he just showed his laid-back attitude. If there was a boasting competition, perhaps he'd take first place in the universe, maybe? Of course, that was on the condition that they could find him.
[Dad is amazing!]
"Mir's movements have become agile as well. I think you can fly faster."
[I became able to fly a lot faster since I trained to move faster on Earth!]
Although this was unintentional, the time-deceleration magic had greatly helped make Yu IlHan and the others stronger. Enduring the time-deceleration magic and training within the effects allowed not only Yu IlHan but Yumir to bring out more of his powers, and the father and son could fight against a 7th-class Archangel without being driven back!
[Fast? Yes, you are fast. Why don't you keep moving fast like that!]
Lemiel desperately transformed all his mana into lightning the moment he felt a sense of crisis that he might actually lose to a lower existence. No matter how weakened he was, the lightning he shot had enough power to pierce the armour with a direct hit.
[Why don't you dodge this! And this too! This is the punishment from the envoy of God!]
"Mir, can you do it?"
[Yeah, I can do it.]
Yu IlHan faced the lightning pouring from the sides and called Yumir with a calm voice. Yumir also replied to him with a similar tone of voice.
The two were in deep sync with each other right now, sharing not only their consciousness but their mana as they sharpened their senses. And naturally, Yumir's movements dodging the lightning became agile.
[How!? You two... how!]
Even though the two were connected as a dragon and his rider, this was supposed to be impossible. It was only possible because Yu IlHan had noticed and raised his dragon powers in the Cradle of Miracles.
Additionally, it was because they heightened their senses beyond their limits, as this was the first time they had fought against such a strong enemy.
"Fuu, so refreshing."
[Yeah, it's really refreshing.]
The energy of dragons and fire in his heart started thumping the moment he entered battle and was now completely connected to Yumir.
This was true resonance. The resonance he could only feel in the Cradle of Miracles until now. Such a resonance was currently happening between Yu IlHan and Yumir with the Flamesoul Dragon Body as the medium.
The resonance increased steadily, fusing and amplifying the two's energy. Even the mana in this higher world, which was supposed to obey Lemiel, could not withstand the overwhelmingly powerful suction force and was drawn in, becoming the energy of dragons and flames, stripped of its original form as the energy of Heaven. Naturally, Lemiel's lightning became weaker and weaker.
[You, damned...!]
"Hm, so this was the right path."
[It's hot, Dad. The hot energy... is becoming bigger!]
Yumir's innate attribute inclined towards wind. On the other hand, the energy Yu IlHan was most skilled at manipulating was fire. Fortunately, the two had a strong affinity, and Yumir amplified and wrapped his body in the flames Yu IlHan had made, creating greater power. On the outside, the two looked like one giant fireball.
"I think we can do it."
[Yeah, I think we can do it.]
Now, there was no need for Yu IlHan to transmit his thoughts to Yumir. The two shared their thoughts. The process of conveying their intentions was skipped, and Yumir moved as Yu IlHan wished. His movements became faster.
What Yu IlHan was trying to do now was none other than the skill Counter that Lemiel had just shown him.
[Do not take the power and authority of lightly... Heaven!]
And the time finally arrived.
Lemiel had reached his limits as he watched the father and son dodge the lightning nimbly, and he emitted more mana than he could control by raising his hand.
The lightning from his hand rose to the sky, and the next moment, the entire sky was coloured in blue. He had coloured the entire world with his power to prevent the world's power from being stolen by Yu IlHan.
[Open your eyes and watch, this is the will of Heaven!]
"Heaven? Are you sure?"
Yu IlHan made a cold smile and asked back.
"I don't think your blood is pure white. I think it's a grey that tries to look white."
[...Are you looking down on me!]
His voice trembled. However, Yu IlHan already had the assurance. He had licked the angel's blood and absorbed the records. Changing one's own records in preparation to go over to the Army of Brilliant Light at any time. In other words, a traitor.
And he was definitely a 'traitor'. Perhaps the one he was facing was a prominent figure of the traitor faction that acted against him and his angels.
"No way. There's no way Lemiel is a traitor. He's an honest Archangel who has served God in the past."
Liera, who was preparing for battle within the fortress, shook her head in shock upon hearing Yu IlHan. Erta also asked Yu IlHan with a cold voice.
"Yu IlHan, were you a person who tried to justify your actions?"
"No, it wasn't like I tried to kill that guy because he was a traitor."
"...indeed, it wasn't like that."
Erta's cold gaze headed to Lemiel this time.
"So you were really a traitor, Lemiel."
[I am not... a traitor! I am the will of Heaven!]
A rain of lightning indiscriminately struck everything. A trembling in mana could be seen as if it reflected his state of mind. This was well-suited to what Yu IlHan was trying to do.
"Should we start, Mir?"
[Yeah, Dad.]
The resonance between the two deepened. The dragon's wings, covered in fire and amplified by the wind, enlarged as if to swallow the entire sky.
The lightning that fell on the world began to turn red.